


A Motel In The Center of the Universe

by irving



Category: The X-Files
Genre: M/M, an actual attempt, mostly krycek complaining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-11
Updated: 2016-10-11
Packaged: 2018-08-21 20:14:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8259227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irving/pseuds/irving
Summary: "Great," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Hunting down a psychopathic, armless sociopath alone in New York City. What could possibly go wrong?"





	

"Go to New York, he said," Mulder murmured, taking his hands off the steering wheel for a few seconds to make a jazz-hands gesture, "It'll be fun, he said. Lots of fun, you said, if I might add." He pointed as Scully, sitting in the passenger seat, a bemused expression on her face.

"I never said it would be fun." Scully said, tilting her head in the air in a display of haughtiness. Mulder snorted, turning his eyes back on the road. "And we most definitely didn't have a choice in coming here. Mulder, we were assigned. Skinner never said anything about 'fun' - as a matter of fact, I think he implied it would be the opposite." Mulder gave her an unimpressed look.

"Scully, has anyone ever told you that you really suck the fun out of a room?" Scully's smile widened slightly as she shifted in her seat, looking back towards the windshield. "I - I mean, come on. Skinner wouldn't have assigned us to find him if he didn't think we weren't capable of it. And if we're capable, we can have fun." A pause before Mulder poked Scully gently in the side. "Lighten up."

"I don't think I need to 'lighten up', I think you need to... get serious." Mulder groaned loudly, slumping in his chair. He remembered Scully comparing him to an overgrown toddler and quickly sat up. "If - if I'm being honest, Mulder, it seems like you've let Krycek slip through your fingers a few too many times. You either need to work out whatever's going on or - or stay away from the case."

"You can't seriously expect me to sit in some - some crappy motel while you go off by yourself? No. No, I'm not letting that happen," he said, voice stubborn as ever. He wasn't budging on this. "We're supposed to be a team. You don't just let half of your team go off and, you know, watch TV for hours." Judging by the places they had stayed in before, that seemed like the most likely situation for poor Mulder if Scully wasn't letting him come along with her. Mulder was making an ever-growing tally of how many times he had found bedbugs.

"Yes, I do, Mulder. If you can't behave." Mulder let out a scoff of indigence.

"Behave?" He was hurt, truly he was. She was treating him like a - like a kindergartner! He wasn't a kindergartner, despite the allegations Scully had made in the past. No, he could do this and be obedient. He could find Krycek.

"Yes, behave. You've been getting lazy. I can't have a lazy partner."

"I'm not lazy! I'm just -" He shook his head, cutting himself off.

"Just what?"

"It's complicated, okay? I just - I can do this, okay?" Mulder looked over at her, gaze earnest. "Scout's Honor. I will find, restrain Krycek, and beat the shit out of him single-handedly if that's what it takes for you to believe me." A weak smile spread over his face. Scully frowned.

"I'm giving you one chance before I chew you out for real." She was trying to be serious, but her tone was teasing. Mulder's smile grew a bit bigger until she hit him in the back of the had. "I'm serious! I'll get you in for a psych eval and everything." Mulder swallowed. She wasn't joking that time - completely serious After a few moments of "consideration", if it could be called that considering he didn't have much choice in the matter, Mulder shrugged.

"Fine. Fine." There was a small aspect of bitterness in his tone. She still didn't believe him.

"Great." Mulder's bitterness was reflected in Scully's tone.

"Great," Mulder grumbled, leaning forwards. The two of them continued on in silence until they pulled into the driveway of aforementioned crappy motel. Mulder leapt out, taking a deep breath. "New York, Scully. Crime city. Crime state, really," he mused, looking over as Scully reluctantly stepped out of the car.

"It's a very nice city."

"Yes, a nice city full of criminals." Mulder grinned at her. Scully looked unimpressed all through the process of getting rooms.

Mulder, for one, was exhausted. He collapsed on his bed as soon as he got into his room, lying face-down on the soft pillows with all intents to stay there for as long as possible.

"Oh, sweet bed, you're my only love," He murmured, pulling one of the pillows towards him and under his head. Ah, this was nice. A nice motel, really. Better than ones they had stayed in before. Hopefully there were few to no bedbugs. Hopefully being the operative word. Oh, he had missed this, actual beds. He, himself, didn't own a bed, just a shoddy couch. Scully had poked and prodded him about getting a real bed, but he had ignored her efforts to get him to sleep like a normal human being adamantly. She couldn't make him do anything. He most certainly couldn't make her do anything, God knew he had tried before. No, they were partners. Partners didn't get to do that - they stuck together, putting up with one another through thick and -

"Mulder, I need to leave." Mulder blinked his eyes open sleepily, turning to look at Scully, poised in the doorway, arms folded.

"What?" he asked dumbly, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"I have to go. Skinner just called - case in Maine where he thinks my expertise in medicine is needed. I have to go." A pause. She looked at him. "You can handle this, right?" Mulder sat up, glancing around at the room. He had kicked his shoes off the moment he had gotten in the room - they were lying next to his coat on the ground. It was already a mess.

"Yeah, of course."

"Great. Good luck." The door slammed shut. Mulder blinked, rolling onto his back before sitting up.

"Great," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Hunting down a psychopathic, armless sociopath alone in New York City. What could possibly go wrong?"

**Author's Note:**

> wow im gonna do chapters!! get ready im psyched


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